Special Adviser on Da’esh Accountability: Nadia Murad a Symbol of Resilience, Highlights the Need to Deliver Justice for Da’esh Crimes

New York, 10 October 2018 - Commending the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad as a symbol of the resilience of the victims of ISIL/Da’esh crimes, the Special Adviser and Head of the United Nations Investigative Team to promote accountability for Da’esh / ISIL crimes (UNITAD), Mr. Karim Khan, said her bravery and selfless sacrifice will serve as further impetus for his Team’s work in supporting the Government of Iraq to hold those responsible to account.

Mr. Khan congratulated Ms. Murad and Dr. Denis Mukwege, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize 2018 for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a tactic of war and terrorism.

“Through her exceptional bravery, Nadia Murad has chosen to confront those who have kidnapped, tortured and abused her in order to draw attention to the plight of her Yazidi community, and other victims, who have suffered immensely. In doing so, she has highlighted the need for the international community to ensure that justice is delivered for all victims.” Mr. Khan said. “For this, we salute her courage and applaud the impact it has had in removing the stigmatization of victims and reminding us that their suffering should never be forgotten.”

“Dr. Denis Mukwege, a physician, spent years helping thousands of victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, becoming a symbol of the struggle to end sexual violence in conflict. He deserves all the recognition for his activism and courage.”

Mr. Khan said that the heroic acts by Ms. Murad and Dr. Mukwege cry out for accountability and justice, announcing that his investigative team will soon deploy to Iraq to commence its investigative activities.“Our team in Iraq will prioritize investigating crimes of sexual and gender-based violence in Iraq,” he promised.

“In her statement after being awarded the prize, Ms. Murad said ‘We must work together with determination – to prove that genocidal campaigns will not only fail, but lead to accountability for the perpetrators and justice for the survivors.’ Our pledge as UNITAD, to the world, and to her, is that we will work tirelessly through our independent investigations to support proper accountability for Da’esh crimes.”

UNITAD was created under UN Security Council resolution 2379 (2017). According to the terms which established the Team, the Special Adviser will support efforts to hold ISIL/Da’esh accountable by collecting, preserving, and storing evidence in Iraq that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide; and to promote throughout the world accountability for such crimes, and work with survivors in a manner consistent with relevant national laws, to ensure their interest in achieving accountability for ISIL/Da’esh are fully recognized.

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